Little Known Disease Causes Big Problems

(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A common condition causing intermittent pain and cramping in the hips, thighs or calves, particularly during exercise, isn't getting its fair share of attention, report researchers from the Peripheral Arterial Disease Coalition.

Their survey of about 2,500 people age 50 and older reveals only about 25 percent were aware of peripheral arterial disease, or PAD, and even fewer knew it could lead to serious complications like heart attacks, strokes and amputation.

PAD develops when the arteries in the lower extremities become clogged with plaque and is thought to affect up to 29 percent of the elderly, or about 8 million people in the United States alone. People with PAD have a five-fold increased risk of heart attack and up to a three-fold increased risk of stroke.

The current study is the first to gauge public awareness of PAD, and study authors suggest much more needs to be done to inform people about the condition and the serious risks it poses to health. If more people knew to ask their doctors about the symptoms of PAD, the study authors theorize more people could receive effective treatment.

The authors write, "The absence of knowledge about the specific impact of PAD on leg symptoms, functional status, and amputation is likely to contribute to low use of PAD risk-reduction and symptom improving therapies. These data can be used to inform the educational efforts of national, regional, and practice-based PAD public education programs."

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SOURCE: Circulation, published online Sept. 17, 2007

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